THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604060436
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
The many months of work the Hampton Roads Mariners have spent preparing for their season opener comes to a head today when coach Shawn McDonald sends his team against the Charleston Battery at 7:30 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.
McDonald has not seen the Battery in any preseason United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL) exhibition games. The Mariners compete in the Eastern Division of the Select League, the USISL's highest division.
Charleston will contend for the South Atlantic Pro Division title.
``These two teams know nothing about each other except what we've seen when we played the last two years,' McDonald said.
The Mariners have played strongly in preseason games this spring, but lost this week to Richmond and Long Island.
``We've been struggling but we're still just starting out, trying to figure out the guys and who's going to be where,'' McDonald said.
McDonald is struggling to field a cohesive squad in part because non-soccer commitments of some players. Returning midfielder Mark Waite and defender Chris Penny will not be with the team full-time until May. Another question mark is scoring ace Darren Eales.
Last season, Eales sparked the Mariners with 24 goals, finishing fifth in the USISL with 52 points. At the end of the Mariners' season, he joined an A-League team in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). He was expected to remain in the APSL this season, but rejoined the Mariners less than two weeks ago.
His status has been uncertain. Eales must be officially released from the New York Fever before he can sign with the Mariners. As of Friday afternoon, he had not received his release.
``He has not signed yet and may not play this weekend,'' McDonald said. ``It all depends on their owner.''
Interestingly enough, if Eales is absent, Charleston will be caught completely off guard.
After receiving the Mariners' roster, coach Nuno Piteira started tooling his defense to stop Eales.
``Darren Eales presents a real problem for us defensively,'' he said. ``He's the kind of player that can score from anywhere within 30 yards. ... He is a very dangerous player.'' by CNB